Twins and in the caul home birth – Cedar Park Birth Photographer

Now that a lot of the publicity surrounding the en caul birth has died down, I want to share the slideshow of babies Toby and Scout, born at home at 41 weeks! There are so many things that were phenomenal about this birth… the care and respect of course that Mama received from her midwife in safely delivering post due twins (at HOME and on THEIR time), breech baby B turning down at the last second, and then baby B being born completely inside her bag of waters. I still get chills thinking about that magical moment!

I have yet to share what a difficult image that was to capture. And I want to share why – not to toot my own horn – but to give perspective to any aspiring birth photographers out there! I hear from them regularly and see firsthand the quickly growing niche that is birth photography. So – teaching moment coming in 3, 2, 1…

I promise I will keep it brief.

First of all, birth is unpredictable. All odds were against me in photographing this event: 1) Baby A was born just a couple minutes before I arrived, which of course flustered me a bit. 2) There was little light in the room and it was already getting dark outside. 3) There were many people in attendance so space was tight, and obviously I was low man on the totem pole with regards to “access” to Mama. 4) Things were moving fast. No time to discuss lighting options with mama. Which required me to think fast on my feet (as baby B was born within minutes of my arrival). All of this illustrates why it’s important to know what you’re doing if you are or plan to become a birth photographer. It’s not simply a matter of bringing a nice camera to a birth. You have to understand light AND dark. You have to know how to focus your camera in less than ideal lighting conditions. You have to be willing to break a few rules (sometimes with only a split second moment to decide) with delicate respect to artistry and composition. You have to be flexible and unaffected by the circumstances that are out of your control (i.e., fast labors, emergency issues, etc.). And perhaps most important? You have to blend into the birth environment! This comes from understanding birth and giving respect to the birth team and parents. All the while being on top of your game! Because (obviously) there are no “do overs” in birth photography.

Just a few things I learned from this experience…

Many thanks to this mama and papa for allowing me to share images of this birth with the world. Literally. It has received and will continue to receive so much visibility. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to witness it and capture it, and for the blessings and connections that have formed as a result!

Enjoy!!!

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  • KiweSeptember 26, 2013 - 1:46 pm

    Stunningly beautiful!! Of course it made me cry, thank you for sharing such a beautiful birth of those beautiful babies!ReplyCancel

  • AprilSeptember 26, 2013 - 1:58 pm

    OH so lovely, thank you for sharing your beautiful talent with the world 🙂ReplyCancel

  • LauraSeptember 26, 2013 - 2:10 pm

    Absolute beautiful birth! It is so important as a Birth Photographer to know all aspects of the camera inside and out! It’s not as easy as many think! Beautiful job!ReplyCancel

  • LauraSeptember 26, 2013 - 2:12 pm

    I watched this as my fourth month old was sleeping in my arms! My eyes are filled with tears and my heart with joy ! Absolutely priceless !ReplyCancel

  • DinaSeptember 26, 2013 - 2:19 pm

    Perfect and Amazing!!ReplyCancel

  • Brook LeggSeptember 26, 2013 - 4:02 pm

    Absolutely stunning! The miracle of life! The blessing of children…so much emotion all rolled into a moment of life…beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • Andrea LythgoeSeptember 26, 2013 - 4:55 pm

    Stunningly beautiful work, and wise words about the skill and expertise needed to capture them!ReplyCancel

  • MichelleSeptember 26, 2013 - 10:29 pm

    Oh Leilani, I love the picture of their little feet. What a beautiful birth story. Thanks for sharing!ReplyCancel

  • LindseySeptember 27, 2013 - 9:23 am

    It’s true–it was really dark in that room. We were amazed by how perfectly the photos turned out. I don’t know how you did it! You were the perfectly respectful while doing what needed to be done…you weren’t a distraction at all. Really neat to read about it from your point of view.ReplyCancel

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